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Aim: Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is an important protein of the innate immune system. It is able to bind to sugar groups encountered on the surfaces of a wide range of microorganisms and interacts with serine proteases (MASPs) to effect the activation of complement. Mutations of the expressed human MBL2 gene have been associated with several infections; this preliminary study thus sets out to assess the association between the polymorphism in exon-1 of the MBL2 gene and periodontal disease in type 2 diabetic patients. Material and Methods: The sample comprised 50 diabetic patients, who were submitted to a clinical periodontal examination that evaluated in six sites per tooth probing depth, bleeding on probing, clinical recession, dental plaque and the number of teeth present. Periodontal disease was defined as 4+ sites of loss of attachment of 5+ mm, with one or more of those sites having a pocket of 4+ mm (Beck's criteria). The collection of scaling cells from the oral mucosa was carried out and the detection of polymorphism was made by the technique of real time PCR (RT-PCR) using the melting temperature curve analysis. Results: The data revealed that no statistically significant differences in the genotype (p=0.564) or the allele (p=0.643) frequencies were observed among the healthy individuals or those with periodontitis. Conclusions: The polymorphism in exon-1 of the MBL2 gene was not related to the periodontal disease in the sample evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]